Will marijuana spoil and how long will it last?

It’s a classic scenario: you’re out of flowers and in your desperate search for more, you discover a long-forgotten sachet of blooms somewhere in the back of your cupboard. You are thrilled with your find. But wait: how long does grass last? How long is grass good for? Can you still smoke the old, dried-out marijuana? What’s the shelf life of marujuana, and what happens if you don’t smoke fresh marujuana? In this guide you will find all the information you need.

How long does marijuana stay good: the basics

Let’s get to the heart of the matter. What is the shelf life of marujuana? Under ideal storage conditions, cannabis can actually stay fresh for a relatively long time.

If it has been properly harvested, dried, cured and then stored, you can expect your marujuana to stay fresh for between six months and a year.

If you’ve stored your marujuana particularly well and are a little lucky, you can extend this period even further. Possibly even up to two years.

But for most marujuana smokers, conditions are less than ideal. Without humidity-controlled storage containers, and assuming your marujuana is exposed to some degree of light and the temperature isn’t quite perfect, you shouldn’t expect to be able to use your marijuana for a whole year.

So how long does marujuana last? In general, you should try to use up all your flowers within six months. But if you have invested in quality storage equipment, you can of course store it for up to a year.

How long is marijuana good for: The scientific answer

Now that you have a general idea of how long marujuana lasts, let’s move on to the more scientific answer. First, it’s important to understand what actually happens to marijuana as it ages.

Essentially, all the chemicals that make marijuana so special are broken down. Over time, many of the cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis slowly break down and lose their effects.

As the terpenes are broken down, the flower loses flavour and fragrance. As a result, old marujuana is relatively tasteless and does not have the distinctive pungent smell that fresh flowers should have. Sometimes old grass also tastes tart and unpleasant. Either way, once the terpenes have broken down, the grass no longer tastes or smells as it should.

Similarly, and probably more importantly, the cannabinoids also degrade over time. Old, worn out marujuana is no longer as strong because a lot of the THC has broken down and evaporated.

And at this point we can find out very precisely how long marujuana is good for. Fortunately, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has been studying things for us.

Their researchers found that, on average, the cannabis plant loses its THC effects at this rate:

• After one year, the flowers loses about 16% of its THC.
• Two years of storage result in a loss of 26% of the THC.
• After three years, flowers loses 34% of its THC.
• After four years of storage, the flowers loses 41% of its THC.

How long does marijuana last: is your marijuana spoiled?

Let’s go back to that old bag of marujuana you found in the back of your cupboard. How do you know if it’s spoiled? Basically, you look for a few things:

• Is it mouldy? If your grass was too damp or wet, it can become mouldy. Do not smoke mouldy flowers.
• Is it dried out? If your grass has turned to dust, it is obviously too old.
• Does it smell fresh? Old marijuana lacks the fresh smell of fresh grass.
• Is it falling apart? If it’s spongy and doesn’t make a sound when you pull a nug apart, it may be damp and mouldy. If it immediately crumbles into dry dust, it is too old.

How long does marijuana stay good for?

If you find that your marujuana has gone spoil, it’s not the end of the world. Technically, you can still smoke it. It just won’t taste very good. And since most of the cannabinoids have probably already broken down, you probably won’t get really high anymore either.

But smoking old flowers won’t kill you or make you sick. The only exception is mouldy marijuana. If your flowers have gotten too much moisture, they can get mouldy.

If you see discoloured spots or white fuzzy mould, or if it smells like something other than cannabis, you shouldn’t mess with it. Smoking or ingesting mould can definitely make you sick or worse, so stay away from it.

Now that you know the answer to the question of how long grass lasts, what should you do to keep it fresh? To make your grass last as long as possible, you should use proper storage techniques.

Try to control the temperature and humidity. Keep it out of direct sunlight and store it in a cool, dry and dark place. With a little care and some basic equipment, you can get the best out of your grass.

So is marijuana going spoil ?

Yes, marijuana is perishable. In fact, there are several ways it can go spoil. On the one hand, it can simply dry out and turn into a dusty, crumbly, ineffective flower if left unused for too long or exposed to too much light or air. On the other hand, your grass can mould if exposed to too much moisture or other contaminants. And you don’t want to breathe in mould smoke. That can make you sick.

Aside from the possibility of getting sick from spoiled marujuana, you’ll get a better product and a better cannabis experience if you keep your flowers fresh. The longer cannabis is exposed to environmental factors like light and air, the more the cannabinoids and terpenes deteriorate. So if you want marujuana that tastes and smells good and gets you super high at the same time, you should take proper care of your flowers.

How to keep marijuana fresh longer

Different cannabis products have slightly different needs when it comes to keeping them fresh and potent. Here is a brief overview of how to keep different cannabis products fresh for longer:

Marijuana flower

To keep flower fresh, you need to store it properly. This includes limiting exposure to light and open air, and maintaining a proper humidity level, typically somewhere in the range of 54 percent to 63 percent.

To accomplish all this, store your flowers in either a small glass Mason jar or a container designed specifically for marijuana. Keep the lid on tight, don’t open it very often, and keep it in a cool dark place.

And for humidity control, you can either toss in a humidity control pack—check out Boveda, Integra BOOST, or a similar product—or if you want to step up your game to pro level, you can store your flowers in a dedicated cannabis humidor such as the Apothecarry, Cannador, or another similar product.

Marijuana edibles

To keep edibles fresh, store them in a place where they are protected from air and direct light. Make sure they are kept in a cool place, as many types of edibles – especially hard candies and gums – can melt easily.

Marijuana concentrates

The best way to keep your concentrates fresh and potent is to store them in small containers designed specifically for dabs. These are typically made out of glass, silicone, or a similar material. Keep the lids on tight and store the containers in a cool, dark place.

Vape cannabinoids pens

As with any other cannabis product, it’s best to keep your vape pens away from direct light. Because the cannabis oil is already inside an airtight cartridge you don’t really need to worry about humidity or exposure to air. As a final tip, store your vape pen standing upright, as this will keep all the oil at the bottom of the cartridge, ready for immediate use.

More detailed instructions on how to store marijuana properly